Meshoppen Alumni Establish Scholarship

The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains is pleased to announce the recent formation of the Meshoppen High Alumni Scholarship. The scholarship derives from a portion of the estate of Jack VanGorden who was born in Meshoppen in 1899. After a long and successful career with IBM in Endicott, NY Mr. VanGorden passed away in 2002 and left instructions that his estate should benefit various charitable and educational endeavors. After managing the college scholarship for a number of years the Meshoppen High Alumni Association has elected to transfer the scholarship to the management of The Community Foundation.

Although the Meshoppen High School no longer exists, Mr. VanGorden’s foresight and generosity will still serve students from that area. The scholarship can provide a minimum $1,000 tuition assistance to graduating seniors of Elk Lake High School or the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center who reside in Meshoppen Borough, Meshoppen Township, or Auburn Township and who will matriculate at college or a post-secondary degree program. Following the stellar legacy established by Mr. VanGorden it is hoped local students will follow in his footsteps by achieving a productive career and continuing his tradition of community service. To read more about Mr. VanGorden click here.

Donations to the Meshoppen High Alumni Association are always welcome to honor Mr. VanGorden’s legacy and enhance the value of this permanent scholarship that will assist students for many generations to come. Contributions may be sent to The Community Foundation at 270 Lake Avenue in Montrose, PA 18801 or made online at www.community-foundation.org.

Jack VanGorden

2019 Jazz Concert at the Self Discovery Wellness Arts Center

The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains administers the Wellness Fund which provides support to the Self Discovery Wellness Arts Center in Montrose and is honored to help spread the news of this upcoming event.

Kelly Memorial Scholarship Established

The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains is pleased to announce the recent formation of the Audrey R. & J. Melvin Kelly Memorial Scholarship to provide educational tuition assistance to students from Susquehanna County. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly raised a family of five children and both practiced law locally, a family tradition that continues to this day. J. Melvin Kelly was born in 1905 the only child of Attorney John M. Kelly and Bessie Melvin Kelly. Audrey Kelly was born in Broome County in 1914, and was raised in Susquehanna Depot by her parents Freemont Roberts and Catherine Shanley Roberts.

For many years Melvin served as President of the Susquehanna County Bar Association. Audrey, despite never having attended college, studied for the entrance examination for Cornell University Law School at her husband’s encouragement and joined the class of 1948. In 1949 she was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and became a partner with her husband in the firm of Kelly & Kelly Attorneys at Law, a firm that continues in Montrose to this day.

In 1963 Governor Scranton selected Audrey to serve as the Commonwealth’s Insurance Commissioner. She was the first woman in the history of the United States to be a State Insurance Commissioner. In 1976 the Montrose Business and Professional Women’s Club recognized Audrey as Woman of the Year and described her as a “woman who could not wait for Women’s Liberation” to occur. Her career inspired subsequent generations to live to their full potential. Melvin’s support of Audrey’s success was unconditional and enduring as was his devotion to his family and their success. Having been together since 1931 Audrey and Melvin both passed away, within ten weeks of each other, in 1987.

Their permanent memorial scholarship will be available to all graduating High School seniors in Susquehanna County who will matriculate at college or a post-secondary degree program. It is hoped this assistance will provide local students a greater opportunity for employment and provide them an incentive to also someday give back to their local communities. Donations to honor the legacies of Mr. & Mrs. Kelly, and to help support future generations of local students, can be sent to The Community Foundation at 270 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801 or can be made online at www.community-foundation.org.

Susquehanna County Township Officials Establish Scholarship

The Susquehanna County Township Officials Association recently established a permanent annual college scholarship administered by The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains. The scholarship will be available to graduating seniors from the six High Schools in Susquehanna County as well as graduating Home Schooled students. The award will benefit a student who has exhibited community service and who will matriculate at college to major in political science or governmental studies.

Elliot Ross, President of the Susquehanna County Township Officials Association, states: “Recognizing the need for qualified elected officials in all venues of government, and particularly at the local level, it is our pleasure to award local students who have chosen to make a commitment to our area through community service and who show promise for continuing this civic involvement in the years ahead.” Contributions to the Susquehanna County Township Officials Association Scholarship are always welcome to help enhance its value and to continue assisting future generations of Susquehanna County students. Donations may sent to The Community Foundation at 270 Lake Avenue Montrose, PA 18801 or made online at www.community-foundation.org.